Typehead setting device

ABSTRACT

A spherical type head is mounted on a supporting shaft for rotation about a first axis, and the supporting shaft is rotated by line selector means about a second axis intersecting with the first axis at the center of the spherical typehead so that the typehead performs a wobbling motion for placing a selected circular line of types in an operative position. Column selector means are connected by bevel gears with the typehead and rotate it about the first axis to place a selected column and type in an operative position confronting a platen.

United States Patent [151 3,703,230 Glave [4 1 Nov. 21, 1972 [54] TYPEHEAD SETTING DEVICE 2,127,530 8/1938 Reppert ..197/16 2,895,584 7/1959 Hickerson et al ..197/52 [72] Invent g wlhelmshaven 2,926,768 3/1960 Becker et al ..197/52 many 3,548,993 12/1970 Behrens ..197/52 x [73] Assignee: Olympia Werke AG, Wilhelmshaven, Germany Primary ExaminerEdgar S. Burr An -M' h l S. St k 221 Filed: April 13, 1971 ac er [2]] App]. No.: 133,625 [5 ABSTRACT A spherical type head is mounted on a supporting [30] Foreign Application p i i Data shaft for rotation about a first axis, and the supporting shaft is rotated by line selector means about a second P 21, 1970 Germany 20 0 axis intersecting with the first axis at the center of the spherical typehead so that the typehead performs a wobbling motion for placing a selected circular line of 178/ types in an operative position. Column selector means [51] Int. Cl. ..B4lj 1/60 are connected by bevel gears with the typehead and [58] Field of Search ..197/52, l6, 18; 178/34 rotate it about the first axis to place a selected column and type in an operative position confronting a platen. [56] References Cited 2 C 3 ra ng gure UNITED STATES PATENTS 393,259 11/1888 Perry ..197/52 17 lo 2! [a 3 lg m I X I! G ll L l 6 TYPEHEAD SETTING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION According to the prior art, a typehead is tilted for placing different circular lines of. character types in an operative position confronting a platen, and the typehead is then rotated for placing a selected column, and thereby the selected character type, in a position opposite the platen. Universal joints are required which consist of small parts which are expensive to manufacture since they require highest precision. It is difficult to eliminate all play from the typehead setting drives according to the prior art, and particularly. at high typing speeds, the typehead setting drives of the prior art are not sufficiently accurate.

SUMMARY OF .THE INVENTION It is one object of the invention to overcome the disadvantages of typehead setting drives according to the prior art, and to provide a simple and reliable mechanism for setting a spherical typehead to a position in which a selected character type is operative.

Another object of the invention is to provide a typehead setting drive in which the typehead rotates about a first axis, and is not tilted about a second axis.

Another object of the invention is to drive the typehead in a wobbling motion for selecting a line of characters.

Another object of the invention is to select a line of characters during half a revolution of the typehead.

With these objects in view, a typehead setting drive according to the invention includes typehead means having a first axis and including a typehead formed with an annular spherical surfacehaving a center located in the first axis and carrying character types disposed in circular lines and columns, andafirst bevel .gear concentric with the first axis .and connected with the typehead for rotation; rotary column selector means including a second bevel gear and being rotatable about a second axis intersecting the first axis at the center of the spherical typehead; and rotary line selector means supporting the typehead means for rotation about the first axis in a position in which the first bevel gear meshes with the second bevel gear.

The line selector means also rotates about the second axis so thatduring rotation of the line selector means, the typehead rotates about the second axis while the first bevel gear rolls on the second bevel gear, and the first axis moves about an imaginary conical surface having the apex in the center of the spherical typehead. The annular spherical surface performs a wobbling motion so that a selected line of types is placed in an operative position opposite a platen.

During rotation of the column selector means, which may take place at the same time, the second bevel gear drives the first bevel gear so that the typehead rotates about the first axis for placing a selected column and type in an operative position opposite the platen. By movement of the type head toward the platen, an imprint of the selected type can be made.

The line selector means includes a line selector shaft having the second axis, and a supporting shaft having the first axis and supporting the typehead for rotation about the first axis.

The column selector means also includes a shaft, the shafts being coaxial regarding the second axis, and one of the shafts is made hollow so that the other shaft can be placed in the same.

Means are provided for detachably mounting the typehead on the supporting shaft, so that the typehead can be easily replaced by another typehead having a different font of character types.

The typehead setting drive of the invention has a very simple construction, and has only few parts which .can be easily mass produced. Each character type can be quickly and precisely selected and positioned.

It is advantageous to provide an arresting means which cooperates with the first bevel gear rotating with thetypehead so that the typehead can be arrested with turned to the correct position.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view illustrating a first embodiment of the invention; 7

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view illustrating a' detail of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary axial sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to the embodiment of FIGS. land 2, a spherical typehead 1 has an annular spherical surface 21 provided with four circular lines la, lg, 1h, 1i so that four characters form columns 1c, a column with the capital letters A, G, H, I being shown'by way of example. Typehead '1 has an inner supporting plate 10a ending in a hub portion 10 in which a supporting shaft 3 is located. Supporting shaft 3 has an annular groove in which a suitable attaching ring 15 is mounted, which permits detachment and attachment of typehead l to the supporting shaft 3, but the arrangement is such that the typehead 1 can rotate about supporting shaft 3 and its axis which passes through the center C of the annular spherical surface 21. In the position of typehead 1 shown in solid lines, a character type of the circular line la is located opposite a platen 16 in an operative position, so that an imprint can be made when the typehead l is displaced toward platen 16 in a manner which is not the object of the present invention.

A carriage 14, only partly shown, is mounted in the conventional manner on the frame of a typewriter for moving the typehead 1 along platen 16.

A hollow line selector shaft 5 is rotatably mounted in carriage 14, and carries at the upper end thereof, a transversely projecting support 7 to which supporting shaft 3 is secured. Line selector shaft 5 has a drive wheel 22 meshing with a rack bar 19 which is part of the line selector means 19, 22, 5, 7, 3, which are controlled by manually operated keys in the conventional manner.

When the hollow line selector shaft 5 is rotated a predetermined angular distance, support 7 turns supporting shaft 3 about the axis of line selector shaft 5, so that the axis of shaft 3 moves along an imaginary conical surface having the apex in the center C through which the axis of line selector shaft 5 passes.

A column selector shaft llis located in the hollow line selector shaft 5, and is rotatable about the same axis. A drive gear wheel 25 is secured to the column selector shaft ll and controlled by a rack bar 23 which is operated under the control of manual keys so that the angle of rotation of column selector shaft 11 is determined by the respective key. The upper end of column selector shaft 11 carries a bevel gear 13 which is in meshing engagement with a bevel gear 9 secured to the hub portion 10 of typehead 1, and being concentric with the axis of shaft 3, which is also the axis of rotation of typehead 1.

An arresting means 27 is pivotally mounted on support 7, and can be operated between the inoperative position shown in FIG. 1, and an operative position in which the arresting means 27 engages a recess between two teeth of the bevel gear 9. The number of recesses of bevel gear 9 corresponds to the number of character types in each circular line 1a, 1g, 1h, and 11', so that the typehead is arrested in a correct position by arresting means 27, when the same is automatically operated in a manner which is not an object of the invention.

When column selector shaft 11 is driven, bevel gears 13, 9 transmit the rotary motion to the hub 10 so that the typehead rotates about shaft 3 while the character types of the respective circular line of types pass the platen 16. When the line selector shaft is rotated, bevel gear 9 rolls on bevel gear 13, so that during a turning movement of column selector shaft 11 for 180, together with supporting shaft 3, the supporting shaft 3 moves between the position shown in solid lines, and the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 1. In the position shown in solid lines, a character type of the uppermost circular line 1a of types is located opposite the platen, and in the position shown in broken lines, a character type of the lowest circular line 11' of types is located opposite the platen. It is apparent that in intermediate positions of support 7, supporting shaft 3, and

typehead 1, the circular lines of types 13 and lb of character types will be placed in operative positions confronting platen 16. However, since the axis of shaft 3 and typehead 1 moves along an imaginary conical surface having the apex at the center C, it is necessary to slant the character types of the middle lines 1g and 1h at a different angle than the character types of the uppermost and lowermost lines In and 11' of types, as clearly shown in a column 10 containing the character types A, G, H and I.

FIG. 2 shows the bevel gear 9 in solid lines in a position corresponding to the position in FIG. 1, and in broken lines in a position corresponding to the broken lines position of FIG. 1, after the column selector means 25, 1 1, 13 have turned an angle of 180.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the line selector means include a shaft 29 carrying a support 31 which has a top face 310 extending at right angles to the axis of the spherical surface 21 of typehead 1'. A supporting shaft means in the form of a screw 33 has a threaded portion threaded into support 31, and a shaft portion 33a supporting typehead 1' for rotation. For this purpose, typehead 1' has a plate 10a with a bore 10' forming a hub portion of typehead 1'. The supporting shaft portion 330 mounts typehead 1' for rotation so that successive character types of a line of types la can be successively placed in an operative position opposite platen 16. The surface 31a, and the corresponding surface of plate 10a, are smooth so that the typehead 1 is slidingly supported by the surface 31a during rotation. An inner gear ring 35 is concentric with the axis of support shaft portion 10', and rotates with typehead 1 The column selector means of the embodiment of FIG. 3 include a hollow shaft 37 through which shaft 29 of the line selector means passes. The column selector shaft 37 is mounted in a carrier 14 for rotation about the axis of line selector shaft 29 so that shaft 37 and 29 have a common axis which intersects with the axis of typehead 1 and of supporting shaft portion 10' in the center C of the spherical surface 21.

Column and line control means corresponding to the gear wheels 22, 25 and the rack bars 19, and 23, are also provided in the embodiment of FIG. 3, but not shown for the sake of simplicity.

An arresting lever 39 is pivotally mounted on support 31 and can be operated to arrest or disengage gear ring 35 of typehead 1.

When line selector shaft 29 is rotated, the typehead 1' turns about the axis of shaft 29 so that the axis of typehead 1' moves along an imaginary double cone surface having the apex in the center C. During this movement, different lines of types are placed in an operative position confronting platen 16, as described with reference to FIG 1. During a turning movement of of shaft 29, all four circular lines of types la, 13, 1):, 1i, are successively placed in the operative position. By rotation of column selector shaft 37 with gear 41, gear 35 with the typehead 1' is turned about the axis of supporting shaft portion 10' so that a selected column, and if a line was already selected, the selected character type is placed in the operative position.

In the embodiment of FlG. 1, the holding ring 15 is manually detachably, so that the typehead 1 can be removed and replaced. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the screw 33 can be unscrewed so that the typehead 1' is no longer secured to support 31, whereby the typehead 1 can be removed and replaced in a very simple manner.

The line and column control means 22, 23, 25, 19 are shown by way of example only since the column selector shafts and the line selector shafts of the two embodiment can be turned predetermined angles by any suitable control means responding to a key lever actuation.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of typehead setting drives differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a typehead setting drive in which the typehead is rotatable about two axes intersecting at an acute angle at the center of the spherical typehead, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Typehead setting drive, comprising typehead means having a first axis and including a typehead formed with an annular spherical surface having a center located in said first axis and carrying character types disposed in circular lines forming columns, and a first bevel gear connected with said typehead for rotation about said first axis; rotary column selector means including a second bevel gear rotatable about a second axis intersecting said first axis at said center; and rotary line selector means supporting said typehead means for rotation about said first axis in a position in which said first bevel gear meshes with said second bevel gear, said line selector means being rotatable about said second axis so that during rotation of said line selector means, said typehead means rotates about said second axis while said first bevel gear rolls on said second bevel gear and said first axis moves about an imaginary conical surface having the apex in said center whereby a selected line of types is placed in an operative position, and so that during rotation of said column selector means said second bevel gear drives said first bevel gear whereby said typehead means rotates about said first axis for placing a selected column and type in an operative position.

2. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 1 wherein said column selector means includes a column selector shaft carrying said second gear; wherein said line selector means includes a hollow line selector shaft in which said column selector shaft is rotatably mounted, a support transversely projecting from said line selector shaft, and a typehead shaft secured to said support and having said first axis; wherein said typehead means includes a hub portion mounted on said typehead shaft for rotation with said typehead about said first axis; and wherein said first bevel gear is secured to said hub portion.

3. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first and second gears have the same number of teeth.

4. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 3 wherein said number of teeth is the same as the number of character types in each circular line of character types.

5. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 4 and comprising arresting means mounted on said support for movement between an inoperative position, and an arresting position engaging a tooth of said first bevel gear.

6. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 1 wherein said column selector means includes a hollow column selector shaft carrying said second bevel gear; wherein said line selector means include a line selector shaft rotatably mounted in said hollow column selector shaft, a support mounted on said line selector shaft, and

a typehead shaft means secured to said support and having said first axis; wherein said typehead means includes a hub portion mounted on said typehead shaft for rotation about said first axis with said typehead; and wherein said typehead has an inner bevel gear ring adjacent said annular spherical surface and constituting said first bevel gear.

7. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 6 wherein said support has a supporting surface located in a plane perpendicular to said first axis; and wherein said hub portion includes a surface resting on said supporting surface.

8. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 6 comprising arresting means mounted on said support for movement between an inoperative position, and an arresting position engaging a tooth of said inner bevel gear ring.

9. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said column and line selector means includes a drive wheel; and comprising column and line control means for rotating said drive wheels, respectively, predetermined angular distances for selection of a character type.

l0. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 1 wherein said line selector means includes a supporting shaft having said first axis and mounted on said line selector means for rotation about said second axis; and wherein said typehead means has a hub portion mounted on said supporting shaft for rotation with said typehead about said first axis.

11. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 10 comprising means for detachably mounting said hub portion on said supporting shaft so that said typehead can be replaced by another typehead.

12. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 1 wherein aid typehead has at least four circular lines of types forming columns of four character types, the outer two types of each column being oriented parallel to said first axis, and the inner two types of each column being oriented slanted to said first axis. 

1. Typehead setting drive, comprising typehead means having a first axis and including a typehead formed with an annular spherical surface having a center located in said first axis and carrying character types disposed in circular lines forming columns, and a first bevel gear connected with said typehead for rotation about said first axis; rotary column selector means including a second bevel gear rotatable about a second axis intersecting said first axis at said center; and rotary line selector means supporting said typehead means for rotation about said first axis in a position in which said first bevel gear meshes with said second bevel gear, said line selector means being rotatable about said second axis so that during rotation of said line selector means, said typehead means rotates about said second axis while said first bevel gear rolls on said second bevel gear and said first axis moves about an imaginary conical surface having the apex in said center whereby a selected line of types is placed in an operative position, and so that during rotation of said column selector means said second bevel gear drives said first bevel gear whereby said typehead means rotates about said first axis for placing a selected column and type in an operative position.
 1. Typehead setting drive, comprising typehead means having a first axis and including a typehead formed with an annular spherical surface having a center located in said first axis and carrying character types disposed in circular lines forming columns, and a first bevel gear connected with said typehead for rotation about said first axis; rotary column selector means including a second bevel gear rotatable about a second axis intersecting said first axis at said center; and rotary line selector means supporting said typehead means for rotation about said first axis in a position in which said first bevel gear meshes with said second bevel gear, said line selector means being rotatable about said second axis so that during rotation of said line selector means, said typehead means rotates about said second axis while said first bevel gear rolls on said second bevel gear and said first axis moves about an imaginary conical surface having the apex in said center whereby a selected line of types is placed in an operative position, and so that during rotation of said column selector means said second bevel gear drives said first bevel gear whereby said typehead means rotates about said first axis for placing a selected column and type in an operative position.
 2. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 1 wherein said column selector means includes a column selector shaft carrying said second gear; wherein said line selector means includes a hollow line selector shaft in which said column selector shaft is rotatably mounted, a support transversely projecting from said line selector shaft, and a typehead shaft secured to said support and having said first axis; wherein said typehead means includes a hub portion mounted on said typehead shaft for rotation with said typehead about said first axis; and wherein said first bevel gear is secured to said hub portion.
 3. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first and second gears have the same number of teeth.
 4. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 3 wherein said number of teeth is the same as the number of character types in each circular line of character types.
 5. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 4 and comprising arresting means mounted on said support for movement between an inoperative position, and an arresting position engaging a tooth of said first bevel gear.
 6. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 1 wherein said column selector means includes a hollow column selector shaft carrying said second bevel gear; wherein said line selector means include a line selector shaft rotatably mounted in said hollow column selector shaft, a support mounted on said line selector shaft, and a typehead shaft means secured to said support and having said first axis; wherein said typehead means includes a hub portion mounted on said typehead shaft for rotation about said first axis with said typehead; and wherein said typehead has an inner bevel gear ring adjacent said annular spherical surface and constituting said first bevel gear.
 7. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 6 wherein said support has a supporting surface located in a plane perpendicular to said first axis; and wherein said hub portion includes a surface resting on said supporting surface.
 8. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 6 comprising arresting means mounted on said support for movement between an inoperative position, and an arresting position engaging a tooth of said inner bevel gear ring.
 9. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said column and line selector means includes a drive wheel; and comprising column and line control means for rotating said drive wheels, respectively, predetermined angular distances for selection of a character type.
 10. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 1 wherein said line selector means includes a supporting shaft having said first axis and mounted on said line selector means for rotation about said second axis; and wherein said typehead means has a hub portion mounted on said supporting shaft for rotation with said typehead about said first axis.
 11. Typehead setting drive as claimed in claim 10 comprising means for detachably mounting said hub portion on said supporting shaft so that said typehead can be replaced by another typehead. 